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Front room from “La Casita,” a miniature project inspired by our real home in Baja, Mexico.

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This is not a replica of our real house, which was much more contemporary in design; but many homes down in Baja are much like this one with faux adobe walls and hand-built fireplaces using shells and rocks as part of the decor. ========

This is a model of a classic straw bale house: you can tell by the “window of truth” just behind the couch. If you were to open up the little wooden door you would see the straw. ========

More than likely, the folks who owned a house like this would have started out as “snow-birds,” coming down to Baja in the winter in their motor home or trailer. Then as time went on , they would have started building a ramada (shelter) on their lot for shade. Gradually, the shelter would have gotten bigger and a kitchen and a bathroom would appear… then, slowly, with the help of local artisans and builders up would go more walls, more rooms, more roofs, until the trailer could be moved away and the ramada would become a full-fledged house.========

The room is filled with momentos from our time in Baja and our many friends; such as the painting on the mantle, “Black Madonna” by my good friend Donna (from a photograph – reduced). The book-ends are painted pebbles, done by my good friend and former business partner, Joan (who normally paints much larger rocks!). All the photographs are mine, again reduced in size, some of family members, others of the scenery. The books, the tiles, candles, and the cushions on the couch are all hand-made and the stone table is chunk of ladrillo (brick) from our actual patio.==========

A house is not a home without a cat and dog… that’s Paco on the rug (he belonged to Cherie). That’s Mugsy on the couch. Don’t know where the others are… we had 5 cats and 2 large dogs. I suppose the dogs are at the beach (you can almost see them swimming in the photo near the door right above the sand-dollar on the rock). And if I know cats, the rest of those are lounging on the patio!

The broom is made from a toothpick, which will give you some idea of the size.

Thanks so much! The red is also “very Baja” – - especially, the tile on the floor. I had no idea how to make Saltito tile, not from scratch… used spray paint for that. Well there’s always a way! I appreciate your comment, thanks again!